Bottle closure



Nov. 19, 1935. o. MAGNUSON BOTTLECLOSURE Filed April 1934 INVENTOR. %nga/40 7211502; J` v ATTORNEYG Petent d Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CLOSUBE Henry. O. Manuson, Chicago, lil., sulmoi' to Champion Fonndry & Machine Co., Chicago, lil., a corporation oi' !Ilinois Application April 11, 1934, Serial No. 719, 989 '5 Claims. (Cl.215`-52) This invention relates te bottle olosures, and has reference more particularly 'to closures oi the composite expanding stopper type. One object of the invention is to provide a very simple, inexpensive, and efcient bottle ciosure, and one that can be easily manipulnted ior applying and removing it, and that, when entered in the neck oi a bottle, wi1l be self-sealing. Another object is to provide an improved closure-oi the type specified of such a. structure that its removal will not involve any mutilation or destruction of its part so that it may be re-'used many times.

One practical embodiment ot the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which- Fig. 1 is a view partiy in eievation and partly in vertical seetion, showing the manner of entering the stopper into a bottle neck.

Fix. 2 is e. vertical section, showing the stopper expnnded to sealing position in the bottle neck.

Fle. 3 is en elevetion oi the olosure in the normal' position oi' the paris when out oi the bottle neck.

Reierring to the drawing, B designetee the body and N the nec-k oi e, edon form oi bottle such as is used tor hottiinm hear, ginger nie. amd other like beveree'es.

My improved eieeure is oi the eompesite expanding stopper type Mi designates e, holiow mbber stop er, the widened nzmer end i! oi' which is ihr ed with an integral inwardiy directed hihiihihi' :denne i! that enters e. peripheml grouve ii iormed in e rigid' head member i@ of wood or other suitable material, whereby the 30 stopper and head ere interioeked, The head M has a central bore i& that forms a leterel support and guide for a siidable piunger i@ that is equipped with e. knob or button W on its upper end for depreesing it by the thumb in the manner' 40 indiceted in me. i. The stopper I@ has a closed lower end m'; end on the internal wall of the stopper, elightiy above its lower end, is an ennlar rib i?. The pimger iS extends dowhwardiy into the hoilow stopper ne, and its lower end portion 40 is formed with an annuiar cam i! that cooperates with the rib il to expend the stopper in the manner leter described. Preterably the upper portion ot the body of the stopper is tapered, as

' shown at s, to fit a correspondingly tspered 50 seat 20 in the upper end of the bottle neck, although this is not essential to the proper-'functioning o! the device. w

To connect the head M tothe top o! the stopper,

the flexibie and stretchahle flenge !2 is first dotted lines in Fig. 2, and then turned inwardly and entered into the groove !3 o! the head. Pret erably cement is applied to the flange before it is entered into the groove to form e. more perfect bond. 5 In applying the closure to a bottle, the closure is gr'asped by the thumb and iingers. and the stopper n is first stretched and elongated by pressing down on the head IS' or, the plunger. The body oi the stopper is then inserted in 'the w neck oi the'bottle and presfsed downwardy to create a tight fit of its tape-red portion IS with the' tepered seat 20 in the upper end of the bottle neck, as shown in Fig.- l. The body oi the stopper readiiy enters the bottle neck by reason of the fact w that the stretching of 'the stopper reduces its normal width, as shown by comparing Fig. i with Fig. 2. This stretching carries the plunger cem !8 below the rib i'l, as shown in Fig. i. The operator then releases the down pressure on :e the phnger, and the endwise eohtreetien e! the. etonperraises the plungei: end ceuses the cem I@ .to pass through the anmlar rih fli, thue expendim the lower portion of the stopper into tight senling engagement with the internal wall &E oi? the bottle neck, all as shown in 2. The eiosure may readily be withdrewn by merely gresping it and depressing the pimeer, es shown in me. i, and then iifting it out.

it will thue be seen that in its seeiihe action Sh the device is entirely automatic or seif-seeling, and does not require the use oi any menuallyv opereted came or other spreeders to expend the stopper into sealing engagenent with the bottle neck. Moreover, the withdrawel of, the closure 85 does not involve any mutilation or destruction of any of its parts, so that it can be reused many times, so long as the rubber stopper element reteins its eiastictiy. which conduces greetly to economy. 40

While I have, for the purposes of iliustretion, shown and described one practical formin which the principle of the invention may be embodied, it is manifest that the structuml details may be changed without in'volving anydeperture from the operative pdnciple or sacriiicing any of the advantages inherent in the invention. Hence, I reserve all such variations, modii'ications and mechanical equivalents as !all within the scope and purview of the appended claims. v

I claim:

1. In a bottle closure oi' the composite expanding stopper type, the combination with a hollow rubber stopper adapted to enter the neck of a bottle and i'ormed with a closed lower end, 66

of a plunger movabe endwise within said stopper to Stretch the latter endwise through contact of its lower end with the closed lower end of the stopper, and cooperating means on said stopper and plunger Operating to automatically expand on said plunger cooperating with said rib to automatically expand the stopper into sealing engagement with the internal wall of the bottle neck under endwise contraction of the stretched stopper.

3. In a, bottle closure of the composite expanding stopper type, the combination with a hollow rubber stopper adapted to enter the neck of a bottle and formed with a closed lower end, of a centrally bored head Secured to the upper end of said stopper,` a plunger guided in the bore of said head and movable endwise within said stopper to Stretch the latter endwise through contact of its lower end with the closed lower end of the stopper, an internal annular rib on said stopper pressed to Stretch the stopper lengthwise, the o' stopper and plunger having cooperating parts. fixed respectively thereto and normally engaged to expand the stopper, said stopper and plunger parts being movable out of cooperative relation as the plunger is depressed to Stretch the stop- 16 per and re-engage to re-expand the stopper as the plunger is retracted by the lengthwise contraction of the stretched stopper.

5. A bottle closure comprising a. hollow, elastic rubber stopper having an internal rib spaced !0 above its lower end, and a plunger within the stopper, engaging its lower end and having an enlargement normally engaging said rib to expand the stopper, said plunger being depressibie d to Stretch the stopper lengthwise and move its !I enlargement to a position below said rib, and said enlargement being re-engaged with the rib to re-expand the stopper as the plunger is retracted by the lengthwise contraction of the stretched stopper.

HENRY O. MAGNUSON. 

